Amusement device

ABSTRACT

An amusement device is formed as a unitary moulded body of plastics material and is designed so that it can be gripped generally between the knees of a player while he walks or otherwise ambulates and attempts to prevent a ball rolling out of an open-ended groove formed in the top surface of the device. An alternative embodiment of the device is adapted to be held between the knees of two players.

United States Patent [191 flower-Rees et al.

[451 Mar. 26, 1197a AMUSEMENT DEVICE Inventors: Christopher DavidGower-Rees;

John Noel Walton, both of Toronto, Ontario, Canada [73] Assignee:Beverly Ann Walton, Toronto,

Canada [22] Filed: Mar. 29, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 239,247

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 26, 1972 Canada 133200 [52]US. Cl. 273/109, 273/1 R [51] Int. Cl A63b 67/00 [58] Field of Search273/] R, 108-117, 273/86 B; 272/1 R, 57 R, 67, 68; 46/216 [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 507,667 10/1893 Taylor 273/1093,137,506 6/1964 Henderson 273/109 418,166 12/1889 Collin 2,231,0892/1941 Rorer 46/216 X' Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham AssistantExaminer-Richard J. Apley [5 7] ABSTRACT An amusement device is formedas a unitary moulded body of plastics material and is designed so thatit can be gripped generally between the knees of a player while he walksor otherwise ambulates and attempts to prevent a ball rolling out of anopen-ended groove formed in the top surface of the device. Analternative embodiment of the device is adapted to be held between theknees of two players.

10 Claims, 4 Drawing lFigures AMUSEMENT DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates generally to amusement devicesand more particularly to a device which is intended to be grippedessentially between the knees of a person while such a person attemptsto walk or otherwise ambulate while attempting to prevent a ball rollingfrom such a device.

There have heretofore been suggested numerous devices which, in use,require a person to acquire the ability to make somewhat unusual andpotentially humorous contortions. Some of the previosuly known devicesrequired a person to adopt somewhat humorous positons for balancingpurposes while other devices have demanded relatively rapid movement ofthe players body for the purpose of maintaining a device im motron.

It is an object of this invention to provide an amusement device whichcalls for a certain degree of acquired skill and/or co-ordination on thepart of a user while providing amusement both to the player himself andto any onlookers.

Another object of this invention is to provide an amusement device forthe aforesaid purpose and which device can be manufactured at anextremely low cost and which can, therefore, be sold at, a relativelylow price.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an amusement devicewhich can be manfuactured so that it can be used by one person alone or,in a different form, jointly by two persons, as desired.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the descriptionherein proceeds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Broadly, the present invention provides anamusement device comprising a body having a top surface and in turnincluding a central portion and first and second end portions atopposite ends of said central portion, each said end portion beingcontoured so that said device can be gripped generally between a personsknees with said top surface thereof facing upwardly and a track havingat least two open ends being formed in said body downwardly of said topsurface thereof for receiving a ball, whereby said device can be grippedgenerally between a persons knees and a ball can be disposed in saidtrack to provide amusement as such person attempts to ambulate whileattempting to prevent the ball rolling out of said track through an openend thereof.

When an amusement device in accordance with this invention is intendedjointly to be used by two players, such a device is formed with twotransversely separated pair of end portions whereby such a device can beBRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be describedmerely by way of illustration with reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an amusement device inaccordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a view showing the manner in which the amusement device ofFIG. l is gripped generally between the knees of a person;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section through the device shown in FIG. 1 whentaken as indicated by the arrows 3-3 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a device inaccordance with this invention and illustrating the manner in which thatparticular device is used.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIGS. 1 to 3of the accompanying drawings, there is shown therein generally at oneembodiment of an amusement device in accordance with this invention. Thedevice 10' is in the form of an integrally moulded body of a plasticmaterial such as polyethylene.

The body of the device 10 includes a central portion generally indicatedat 10a and two essentially bifurcated end portions integrally formedwith the central portion 10a. The first end portion includes limbs IIand 12 while the second end portion includes limbs 13 and 14. The limbs11 and 12 diverge outwardly from one end of the central portion 10awhile the limbs 13 and 14 similarly diverge outwardly from the other endof the central portion 10a, the limbs 12 and 14 extending forwardly andthe limbs 11 and 13 extending rearwardly.

The limbs 11 and 12 at one end of the device 10 define therebetween agenerally concave surface 16 while the limbs 13 and 14 at the other endof the device 10 define therebetween a concave surface 17.

The body of the device 10 is formed in its top surface 20 with a trackgenerally indicated at 21 which includes an essentially straight portion22 extending along the central portion 10a and limb tracks 23, 24, 25and 26 extending along respective ones of the limbs 11, 112, I3 and 14.Each of the tracks 23, 24, 25 and 26 communicates with the central track22 and is open-ended at the end of a respective one of the limbs II, I2,113 and 14 as will readily be understood by reference to FIG. 1.

Referring now in greater detail to FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings,it will be seen that the device 10 is shown therein as being formed as ahollow and integrally moulded structure of a plastics material such aspolyethylene. A device such as that indicated at 10 can, however, beformed of any appropriate material but the use of an inexpensivematerial such as polyethylene is particularly indicated.

Referring to FIG. 2, the manner in which the device 10 is intended to beused will now be briefly explained. The device 10 is intended to begripped generally between a persons knees, as shown, and a small ball,for example, a ball bearing of appropriate diameter 27, is placed in thecentral track 22, considerable amusement and jollification then beingprovided when the person attempts to walk or otherwise ambulate with thedevice so gripped generally between his knees while, at the same time,attempting to prevent the ball rolling out of the track 21.

In accordance with another useful but optional feature of thisinvention, the device 10) is formed with the configuration of a stylizedbone as actually illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. It should, however, beunderstood that it is equally within the scope of this invention toprovide a device having a completely different appearance.

The alternative embodiment of an amusement device in accordance withthis invention as indicated generally at 30 in FIG. 4 has many featuresin common with the device hereinbefore specifically described. Thedevice 30 is, however, intended to be used by two persons as shown inFIG. 4 rather than by a single person as illustrated in FIG. 2 for thedevice 10.

The device 30 also has the general configuration of a stylized bone andis formed as a unitary moulded structure of a suitable plasticsmaterial. The device 30 includes a central portion generally indicatedat 31 and which in turn includes a transversely extending spine 32 andcross heads 33 and 34. Each of the cross heads 33 and 34 terminates intwo bifurcated end portions, each including two limbs which definetherebetween a generally concave surface intended to be engagedgenerally by a respective knee of one of the players. For example, thecross head 33 terminates in bifurcated ends including limbs 35, 36 and37, 38 while the cross head 34 terminates in bifurcated ends includinglimbs 39, 40 and 4B, 42. The limbs 35, 36 together define a concavesurface 44 and the limbs 37, 38 define a concave surface 45, thesurfaces 44 and 45 being gripped in the use of the device 30 essentiallybetween the knees of one of the two players. A second person then holdsthe device 30 essentially by gripping it between his knees withgenerally concave surfaces 46 and 47 defined by the limbs 39, 40 and 41,42 respectively between his knees.

A groove 50 is formed in the top surface of the spine 32 and the groove50 opens at its ends into grooves 51 and 52 formed in the cross heads 33and 34 respectively. At their ends, the grooves 51 and 52 open intoindividual and openended grooves provided in the individual limbs at theends of those cross heads. For example, the groove 51 in the cross head33 opens into grooves 53 and 54 extending along the limbs 35 and 36respectively as well as into grooves 55 and 56 extending along the limbs37 and 38 respectively. Similarly, the groove 52 in the cross head 34opens at one end into grooves 57 and 58 extending along the limbs 39 and40 respectively and, at its other end, into grooves 59 and 60 extendingalong the limbs 41 and 42 respectively.

In use, a small ball is placed in the groove 50 and the two playersattempt to walk or otherwise ambulate without allowing the ball to rollout of the ends of the grooves.

For convenience, a ball-receiving recess 64 can be provided as shown inFIG. 1 in a device in accordance with this invention for accommodatingthe ball when the device is not in use. The ball may be disposed in sucha recess and retained therein by means of a simple rubber plug 65 orsimply by means of a piece of adhesive tape placed over the open end ofsuch a recess.

Although the invention has been specifically described with reference tothe particular embodiments thereof as shown in the accompanyingdrawings, it will be understood that numerous variations andmodifications are possible without departing from the scope of theinvention. For example and as already indicated, a device in accordancewith this invention need not be formed with the configuration of astylized bone as actually illustrated. Nor, is it essential tthat such adevice be formed of a plastics material, the use of other materialsbeing equally possible although generally not economically attractive.

What is claimed is:

1. An amusement device comprising (a) a body having an outer surface inturn comprising a top surface and said body comprising a longitudinallyextending central portion and first and second end portions at oppositelongitudinal ends of said central portion and integral therewith, saidend portions having essentially bifurcated structures and eachcomprising mutually diverging first and second limbs so to definetherebetween generally concave end surfaces facing in oppositedirections, a track having at least two open ends being formed in saidbody downwardly of said top surface thereof with said track openingthrough said outer surface of said body below said top surface thereof,and (b) a ball disposed in said track for rolling movement therealong,whereby said device can be gripped generally between a persons kneeswith said top surface thereof facing upwardly to provide amusement assuch a persn attempts to ambulate while simultaneously attempting toprevent the ball rolling out of said track through a said open endthereof.

2. An amusement device as claimed in claim 1 and in which said track isformed with at least one said open end in each of said first and secondend portions.

3. An amusement device as claimed in claim 1 and in which said trackcomprises a central track portion formed in said central portion of saidbody and extending generally longitudinally therealong and first andsecond open-ended track portions in each of said end portions of saidbody, each of said first and second track portions in each of said endportions opening into said central track portion terminally thereof.

4. An amusement device as claimed in claim 3 and in which said trackcomprises an upwardly open groove.

5. An amusement device as claimed in claim 3 and in which said first andsecond track portions in each said end portion of said body extend alongrespective ones of said first and second limbs of that end portion.

6. An amusement device as claimed in claim 5 in which said body isformed as a unitary moulded structure of a plastics material.

7. An amusement device as claimed in claim 1 and in which said bodycomprises two said central portions with said end portions and whichcentral portions are interconnected by and integrally formed with atransversely extending bridge portion so that said device can be grippedgenerally between the knees of two persons.

8. An amusement device as claimed in claim 7 in which said trackcomprises a bridge track portion which extends along said bridgeportion, two central track portions extending along respective ones ofsaid central portions and first and second open-ended track portions ineach of said end portions, said central track portions opening into saidbridge track portion terminally thereof and said first and second trackportions in each of said end portions opening into respective ones ofsaid central track portions terminally thereof.

9. An amusement device as claimed in claim 8 and in which said trackcomprises an upwardly open groove.

10. An amusement device as claimed in claim 9 in which said body isformed as a unitary moulded structure of a plastics material.

=5 l l= fi

1. An amusement device comprising (a) a body having an outer surface inturn comprising a top surface and said body comprising a longitudinallyextending central portion and first and second end portions at oppositelongitudinal ends of said central portion and integral therewith, saidend portions having essentially bifurcated structures and eachcomprising mutually diverging first and second limbs so to definetherebetween generally concave end surfaces facing in oppositedirections, a track having at least two open ends being formed in saidbody downwardly of said top surface thereof with said track openingthrough said outer surface of said body below said top surface thereof,and (b) a ball disposed in said track for rolling movement therealong,whereby said device can be gripped generally between a person''s kneeswith said top surface thereof facing upwardly to provide amusement assuch a persn attempts to ambulate while simultaneously attempting toprevent the ball rolling out of said track through a said open endthereof.
 2. An amusement device as claimed in claim 1 and in which saidtrack is formed with at least one said open end in each of sAid firstand second end portions.
 3. An amusement device as claimed in claim 1and in which said track comprises a central track portion formed in saidcentral portion of said body and extending generally longitudinallytherealong and first and second open-ended track portions in each ofsaid end portions of said body, each of said first and second trackportions in each of said end portions opening into said central trackportion terminally thereof.
 4. An amusement device as claimed in claim 3and in which said track comprises an upwardly open groove.
 5. Anamusement device as claimed in claim 3 and in which said first andsecond track portions in each said end portion of said body extend alongrespective ones of said first and second limbs of that end portion. 6.An amusement device as claimed in claim 5 in which said body is formedas a unitary moulded structure of a plastics material.
 7. An amusementdevice as claimed in claim 1 and in which said body comprises two saidcentral portions with said end portions and which central portions areinterconnected by and integrally formed with a transversely extendingbridge portion so that said device can be gripped generally between theknees of two persons.
 8. An amusement device as claimed in claim 7 inwhich said track comprises a bridge track portion which extends alongsaid bridge portion, two central track portions extending alongrespective ones of said central portions and first and second open-endedtrack portions in each of said end portions, said central track portionsopening into said bridge track portion terminally thereof and said firstand second track portions in each of said end portions opening intorespective ones of said central track portions terminally thereof.
 9. Anamusement device as claimed in claim 8 and in which said track comprisesan upwardly open groove.
 10. An amusement device as claimed in claim 9in which said body is formed as a unitary moulded structure of aplastics material.